Because Alex is the 50th dog the Frankie Wheelchair Fund has granted a wheelchair to!

Alex is currently with foster, Sandi, with Dachshund Rescue of South Florida. She sent me ths picture of Alex and said, “Here’s a pic of sweet n snugly Alex in his Eddie’s Wheels. He took to his wheels like a duck to water!”

Does not surprise me one bit. I’ve seen time and time again how these dogs get on with the joy of living life — now rolling through the grass, down the street, and over their human’s feet. Nothing stops them!

A very special thanks to Sarah of The Smoothe Store as the money she raised selling dog banandas last fall helped pay for Alex’s wheelchair which she donated to the Frankie Wheelchair Fund.

Alex’s wheelchair custom made by Eddie’s Wheels.

Keep on rolling Alex!
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This Frankie Wheelchair Fund helps paralyzed dogs who are in need of a wheelchair to help them regain their mobility and go on to live a full, happy, quality life. Funding is granted to families in financial stress and disabled dogs in rescue to improve their chances of getting a forever home.
Founded in August 2012 by author and advocate for dogs with Intervertabral Disc Disease (IVDD) and dogs in wheelchairs, Barbara Techel created this fund in memory of her beloved Dachshund, Frankie, who was in a wheelchair. Frankie cracked Barbara’s heart wide open to understanding the many blessings of a dog with special needs.
Barbara witnessed first hand from Frankie who became paralyzed after a fall and diagnoses of IVDD, that dogs in wheelchairs can live happy, long, quality lives if given a chance. We should not take pity on pets who lose their mobility but instead celebrate and embrace their perseverance and adversity.
Along with this special fund to help paralyzed dogs, Barbara also founded National Walk ‘N Roll Dog Day. This day carries on Frankie’s legacy in bringing positive awareness to all dogs in wheelchairs around the world. You can find us on Facebook also where we share stories and photos of inspiring dogs in wheelchairs each week!
To date the fund has granted 40 wheelchairs to disabled dogs in need!

Depending on the size and the needs of a disabled dog, wheelchairs cost between $350-$1,500.

We want to help so many more dogs because we feel they deserve a chance to enjoy life to the fullest!

Dachshunds (also known as “wiener dogs”) are known for their long body, short legs, and floppy ears. While these adorable dogs make great household companions, their unusual proportions can make them delicate — their long spines are especially sensitive. This means that extra care must be taken to support the dog’s back as you pick it up, hold it, and set it back down.[1]
Method 1 of 2: Holding a Dachshund Safely

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1
Place one hand under the chest. Picking up a dachshund is different than the way you’d pick up other breeds, but it’s not especially hard once you learn the right method. Start by slipping a hand under the dog’s upper body to support his chest and ribcage. Don’t lift up yet.
Spread your fingers out so that you support as much of the dog’s upper body as possible. The wider the area you can spread his weight over, the gentler it will be on his spine.
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2
Place your other hand under the dog’s rump. Gently slip your free hand under the dog’s rump — either directly behind it or just in front of the dog’s rear legs to support its lower body. Get ready to lift up.
Here, again, it is best to spread your hand to give the widest base of support possible.
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3
Slowly lift the dachshund, keeping its body level. Now, simply lift the dog up. As you go, try to keep the dog’s lower body from hanging or drooping beneath its lower body. A little bending is fine, but you’ll want to keep the dog’s back as flat as possible to keep from putting stress on it.[2]
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4
Continue to support the dog’s back as you hold it. As you move around or play with your dachshund, make sure its lower back is well-supported at all times. Dachshunds aren’t like other dogs — letting their lower bodies dangle is uncomfortable to them and can contribute to painful back problems (like slipped and ruptured discs) over time.[3]
Luckily, with a little practice, this should become second nature after a while. Eventually, it will feel “wrong” to pick the dachshund up in the incorrect way.
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5
Transition to a “cradle” hold if you wish. As long as the dachshund’s back is well-supported and its body is fairly straight, it doesn’t really matter how you choose to hold it. If you’d like the convenience of being able to hold your dachshund with one arm, try shifting to this alternate hold once you’ve picked it up correctly by following the steps above:
Gently shift the dog’s weight so that it comes to rest on the forearm of the arm that you were using to support its rump. Use your full forearm to support its weight.
Tuck the dog against your body for added support and comfort. This should feel a little like how you would cradle a baby or hold a football.
Use your free arm when needed to help the dog balance and keep it from squirming or wriggling free.
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6
To set the dachshund down, slowly lower it to the floor. If you’ve had experience with other dog breeds, you may be used to “dropping” or gently heaving them back to the ground when you’re done holding them. With dachshunds, instead, you’ll want to lower the dog all the way to the ground before letting go. As always, keep its back well-supported as you lower it down.
Ideally, you’ll want its feet to be touching the ground before you let go. As you’ll read below, even a drop of a few inches can put stress on the dachshund’s back and joints.[4]

Method 2 of 2: Knowing What to Avoid

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1
Don’t pick up a dachshund by his upper body. Many are accustomed to picking up dogs as if they were human babies by putting one hand under each of the dog’s “armpits.” However, this is unsafe for dachshunds. This puts an unnatural stress on the dog’s back — its spine simply isn’t built to support its long body without any other support.[5]
In general, you will want to avoid any sort of hold that supports only half of the dog’s body length. This is true even if the dog is already standing on one set of legs — like, for instance, if he is propping himself up on his hind legs while looking over the top of a sofa. In this case, you’ll want to lean down so that you can support his rump before picking him up.
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2
Never drop the dachshund back onto the ground. As noted above, dogs should be set down gently, not dropped. A dachshund’s legs are very short compared to other dog breeds’. This means that they can’t bend very far to absorb the shock of hitting the ground, which puts most of the impact stress on the leg joints and back. Getting rid of the dog’s “fall” eliminates this danger.[6]
Don’t trust your dog’s body language here. Dachshunds don’t know that their skeleton can’t support falls, so they may be perfectly willing to jump out of your hands. Even if this doesn’t cause them immediate pain, it can lead to painful problems if continued in the long term.
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3
Never make a dachshund bend or twist when you pick him up. Dachshunds’ long, slender spines are especially vulnerable to injury, which is why it’s so important to keep their bodies straight when you pick them up. You will definitely want to avoid any activities that put a twist or bend in the dog’s back, as this increases the stress on it and can contribute to conditions like slipped discs.
For example, one way you might accidentally do this is by scooping the dachshund up suddenly when it doesn’t expect it. If you startle your dog, it may wriggle or twist out of one of your hands, putting an unnatural bend in its spine as it hangs. Make sure your dog is calm and aware of you before you attempt to pick it up.
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4
Don’t ignore any signs of distress from the dog. Dachshunds, like all dogs, are generally pretty smart about letting you know when they are in pain. If your dog looks or sounds uncomfortable when you pick it up, it probably is, so set it back down and re-evaluate the way you’re holding it before you try again.
Some signs of pain in dogs are obvious, like yelping, whimpering, etc. However, others a little more subtle. The following are nonverbal signs that a dog may be uncomfortable:[7]

Trembling (without another explanation, like coldness)
Trying to get away
Unnatural amounts of affection or aggression
Holding the mouth closed (rather than having a natural, “happy” look)

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5
Show family and friends how to hold dachshunds properly before letting them play. Nothing’s more frustrating than when you take the time to learn how to hold your dachshund properly, only for well-meaning relatives to come over and treat it like an ordinary dog. To avoid problems, be sure to educate any visitors about the proper ways to hold your dog before they play with it.
This is especially true for children, who can sometimes be too rough with dogs by accident. It’s a wise idea to supervise children when they first interact with your dachshund until you’re confident that they know how to play safely.

Curious, lively, charming, and brave, the Dachshund is similar to a terrier in his demands to be in on everything.

This comical clown loves to play games and has a great sense of humor. He is a loyal little dog, very attached to his family, and he firmly believes that sleeping under the bedcovers is in the Dachshund Bill of Rights.

Dachshunds attract devoted followers who would never consider having any other breed. Indeed, Dachshunds are often kept in pairs, which is A-OK with them, since they seem to recognize and prefer being with other “wiener dogs”.

They’re usually good with other family pets, too, though they can be jealous when they want attention and they can be possessive of their toys. You need to put a firm stop to the first signs of jealousy or possessiveness so that these don’t become bad habits.

Though the Dachshund makes a great house dog, he does need his daily walks (on-leash! Dachshunds are chasers who will take off! — and plenty of companionship. Loneliness will lead to excessive barking.

You’ll also hear his sharp, persistent bark when people approach, for most Dachshunds are alert watchdogs who do not take kindly to strangers intruding on their domain. Again, you need to put a stop to overt signs of suspiciousness, lest this progress to nastiness.

Though bright and clever, Dachshunds like to do things their own way. In other words, they’re stubborn. Cheerful praise and treats should be offered freely, as Dachsies are proud little dogs who resist force. They become irritable when pushed too far, and they may respond defensively (growling or snapping) if jerked around, handled harshly, or teased.

Other behavioral problems? Well, the Dachshund’s hunting and tunneling instincts may lead to holes being dug in your garden. Also, housebreaking may go slowly, as many Dachshunds don’t like to go outside in cold or wet weather. A covered potty yard is recommended, if possible.

In general, Miniature Dachshunds are more active than the larger Standard Dachshunds. Comparing the three coat varieties:

Wirehaired Dachshunds tend to be the most energetic, the most mischievous, and the most obstinate (probably stemming from their strong terrier heritage).
Longhaired Dachshunds tend to be the quietest and sweetest-natured (probably stemming from their spaniel heritage).
Smooth Dachshunds are most apt to attach themselves to one person and are often more aloof with strangers.

But remember, these are just generalities!

If you want a dog who…

Comes in a variety of smallish sizes, coats, and colors
Is comical and entertaining
Is loyal to his family
Needs only moderate exercise
Makes a keen watchdog
Is good with other family pets, especially other Dachshunds
Usually lives a long life

A Dachshund may be right
for you.

If you don’t want to deal with…

Stubbornness
Scrappiness toward strange dogs, especially larger dogs
Chasing and hunting instincts (chipmunks, birds, etc.)
Notorious housebreaking difficulties
Potential for excessive barking
Potential for digging holes
Excessive suspiciousness toward strangers when not socialized properly or made to behave
Worries about the serious spinal problems that afflict 1 out of every 4 Dachshunds and can result in paralysis

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I wish I lived in the united kingdom so I could send my pups their to stay.

Welcome to Sausage Dog Hotel, the premier choice for those difficult times when your beloved sausage needs a home away from home.

We provide a full range of services, including long and short term stays, regular day care, walking and much more, all specifically tailored to dachshunds.

Located in Hertfordshire, just south of St Albans, with extensive countryside and woodland right on our doorstep, we are also within easy reach of North London and service a large part of the surrounding area. We are fully licenced by the local authorities, and have insurance policies to cover all our activities – at home, while traveling, and when out walking.

We also offer a pick up & drop off service for those sausages that live further afield and want to come stay with us, and have regular guests from all over the country.

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I’m a very lucky person. I have four dachshunds I get to spend all day and night with! I like to call them the “Doxie Nation.”

Rommel, the very first dachshund I got, is a classic red. He just celebrated his 10th birthday with us in September. Rommel really loves to play “ball” as we call it (though most refer to it as “fetch”), he loves it so much that he will keep playing until he passes out, with the ball still in his mouth, of course! When I sit at my desk, he is always on my lap, happily spending time with me. At night, he loves to cuddle up and sleep under my left arm. Curiously, unlike all of my other dachshunds, Rommel prefers to keep himself separated from other dogs and enjoys spending time on his own.

Franzi, my second dachshund, is eight years old and chocolate and tan in coloring. She’s actually my husband’s favorite dog, though he likes to claim otherwise. Too bad he gives himself away with the way he cuddles with and talks to her! I knew Franzi would be a perfect fit for me and my family when I first laid eyes on her. At the time, I saw her, she was destroying what little remnants there already were of an empty Crunch Bar wrapper.
Franzi loves to eat and I mean it! She’s always weaving between my feet in the kitchen, eagerly waiting for me to accidentally drop something so she can snap it up before it’s even hit the ground! Just when I think I’ve got the house spotless, she also always finds whatever tiny scraps of food have managed to elude me hanging around.
She’s also a huge fan of digging holes. Actually, I think trenches and burrows would be better ways of describing what she digs. They’re gigantic! Sometimes, I’ll see her newest crater in our yard and try to figure out where all that dirt when; it just seems to vanish!
Her favorite spot to sleep at night is directly under my pillow, snoring the whole time too, for added good measure, I suppose.

Montgomery is my third Dachshund and he is 6 years old. He’s a brownish-red piebald. Unfortunately, he’s blind in one eye and one ear, but that certainly doesn’t stop him! I rescued him and have never regretted it! He’s quite the character!
He also loves to dig and eat like Franzi, though he’s usually assisting her rather than working on his own projects. His bark is so loud and shrill that it hurts most people’s ears and he certainly loves to bark!
Monkey, as we call him, is very sweet and seems to think he’s still a puppy. He loves to run with the pack or and get into anything else the other dachshunds are doing. He’s best friends with one of other other dogs, a German Shepard named Noet.

Lastly, but certainly not least, there is Hank. Who is also known as Alex, Little Man, Squeak Box, or Buddy. Everyone in the household and those who come to visit seem to have their own name for him. He is a red dapple in coloring. He’s a very happy dog in nature, but scared and skittish of most people. Hank was also a rescue with a more difficult past.
Whenever my son comes out of his room, Hank has to bark at him with a peculiar squeak of a bark. Then he immediately runs a way from him! (Or any men at the house really.) When we got Hank he was an all skin and bones puppy. Hank was hit by a car and taken to the pound. That’s where we found him. He has since grown and pumped up. Though, he still thinks he is starving to death, which we don’t entirely blame him for feeling that way. You can’t open the fridge with out him!

I’m lucky I get to spend all day with my pack. We have a great time together. They love when I make them home made dog food and peanut butter treats because they get to help, but more than that, they love when I give them to them to eat!

I certainly hope you enjoy your Dachshunds as much as I do! Maybe you can tell me a little about yours?